“Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.”—Roy L. Smith
Whenever I interview an athlete for the very first time, I never know what to expect.
We, as fans, like to think that we know a lot about these men and women who risk themselves for our greater entertainment, but often times, the personality isn’t always what we would expect it to be.
Take Sam “the Rebel” Jones for instance.
Sam is an undefeated mixed martial arts fighter with a deceiving professional record of 2-0-0, and he represents the Tallahassee Combat Center in Florida, under his trainer/manager, Tami Carswell. When I arranged to speak with Sam, I had very few expectations of what I thought he might be like, as I knew very little about the man personally, or as it turned out—professionally.
So, what was my impression of Mr. Jones?
Simple—this young man is the absolute prototype of what we can all expect in the future with regards to athletic ability and attitude, in modern MMA.
Enjoy the interview, everyone—I know I did.
James Ryan: Hey there Sam, how are you doing today?
Sam Jones: Doing wonderful, James. How about yourself?
James Ryan: Always great! Thanks for agreeing to speak with me—I’ve heard a lot great things about you and I’m eager to learn even more.
For starters, I know that you are quite the athlete, so I’m guessing that you were a very active child—what sports did you compete in the most when you were growing up?
Sam Jones: Growing up I did three sports pretty consistently. I did gymnastics, judo, and swimming.
I stuck with those for a long time. I got into gymnastics when I was about two or three years old, and I got into judo at around five. I started swimming at around age six and I basically managed to stick with all of them all the way until high school.
James Ryan: Wow, it’s always great to hear about kids who are physically active. Not enough of that these days. Plus, that’s quite the combination—pretty amazing actually.
I can see right away how each of those would benefit you and contribute to what is no doubt, a very unique level of athleticism.
You must have had quite the busy schedule though.
Sam Jones: Definitely. The judo was occasionally on and off, but it was much more on than not. I was very active as a kid and I loved all of those sports equally.
According to my manager Tami Carswell, that’s what makes me a good fighter now—the discipline, the training, the cardio, the explosiveness from gymnastics, the grappling from judo, and then from my wrestling in high school. I really think that I have a very good background for fighting in MMA, and I don’t doubt that all of those advantages come into play.
That’s what I did growing up. I truly believe that kind of background gave me the opportunity to become a successful fighter.
James Ryan: Absolutely, and you’re right, it’s more than just the athleticism—it’s the work ethic and the discipline that comes from training in competitive sports your whole life.
I’m impressed.
What happened when you got to high school? Why did you stop?
Sam Jones: When I got to high school, I let those other sports go so that I could compete in wrestling—that was the sport that meant the most to me. I also did other stuff too, like football, track, competitive weight-lifting—I enjoyed those other sports, but nothing really got me going like wrestling.
Back then, I refused to put anything else before wrestling—that was definitely my sport. That’s where I really excelled and I even made the State Finals for three years.
James Ryan: That’s great! Did you pursue wrestling later in College?
Sam Jones: After high school, I seriously considered taking advantage of a scholarship opportunity at a smaller school, but a friend of mine—he actually died cutting weight—he was taking a lot of Creatine and was really trying to lose a lot of weight, and then…he died.
Oh man... [Pause] Billy Saylor.
James Ryan: Sorry, Sam.
Sam Jones: That’s okay. I was pretty affected by his death at the time. The more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to go and do competitive wrestling anymore.
I was very lucky that I didn’t really have to cut weight in high school because the school that I went to didn’t have a whole lot of team members. In my first year of wrestling, I think we had like three guys on the wrestling team—that was it.
So basically, I had the luxury of going into any weight class that I felt comfortable with. My coach always felt confident that no matter what weight class I went into, I would be ready and I would be in excellent shape. I eventually learned about really pushing my conditioning, and pushing myself in ways that I didn’t know that I could as a competitive wrestler.
I still think that wrestling is a great sport.
James Ryan: I would agree with you on that. Wrestling has really started to stand out as a very necessary tool for success in MMA. It’s tragic about your friend though.
So did you choose not to go to College at all, or just not to wrestle in College?
Sam Jones: After I graduated from high school, and after my friend died, I was just really leery about competing in College after that, so I ended up staying here—went to FSU, but basically let my wrestling skills rest for a while.
James Ryan: So then, what inspired you to make the transition into mixed martial arts?
Sam Jones: One day, I just happened to go into the gym with my buddy and I ran across Tami—she got me into boxing, which I trained for a couple of months before doing an amateur boxing match. I won by split decision and I immediately loved it.
I loved competing again and I loved feeling supremely fit again, so I stuck with it.
James Ryan: Other than the boxing , have you been training in any other forms of combat or martial arts?
Sam Jones: Yes, I started learning jiu-jitsu. I got into the gym and I saw these guys rolling around on the ground and I was like ‘hey, it’s kinda like wrestling,’ but then the first time that I got submitted, it was like a revelation. I thought ‘oh my God!’ [Laughs]
I mean the ground is where I felt like I was in the most control and this guy just literally won the fight. I was in awe of jiu-jitsu after that. Since then, I’ve really put in a lot of time learning how to do submissions and learning how to defend submissions, and I love the ground game—all around.
I love striking also, but that revelation of ‘wow, wrestling isn’t the end-all, be-all of the ground’ was kind of a shock to me. After that, I dove right into it whole-heartedly and I’ve been listening to Tami’s advice and my other trainers—I love it.
I also train in Muay Thai. I love throwing multiple combinations of kicks and punches in concert, which I find to be much more devastating.
James Ryan: Cool. So Sam, what really separates you from other fighters?
Sam Jones: One of the things about me is that I love training. I love to just go out there and do hardcore training—push myself to the limit. That’s my enjoyment during the day. Everything else—work, school—I sometimes find it hard to be focused or motivated with those, but with training—I just show up and get excited and do it, even when it’s hellishly difficult. [Laughs]
With Tami, I found a person that was really willing to invest in me. She really believed in me and what I could do after seeing me for a very short period of time. She’s been with me all the way as someone that I can rely on for good advice. And not just with the technical aspect of fighting, but just in general. She really knows the ins and outs of this sport as an enterprise, as well as, a business.
James Ryan: Lucky guy, a good manager is hard to find. Were you nervous going into your first fight?
Sam Jones: My very first opponent was 17-2 as an amateur fighter. That was my first time stepping into a cage. [Laughs]
James Ryan: What?! [Laughs] Are you joking?!
Sam Jones: [Laughs] Unfortunately I got a draw in that fight. I came out of there with absolutely no damage though, and he was definitely banged up. I thought I won the fight actually, but they deducted a point during the fight for what they said was an illegal head-butt—so frustrating. I went back and looked at the tape and I was like ‘nope, that was a shoulder strike.’
It was a definite learning experience though. That first fight really gave me a yearning to prove that I could do better and that I could do more than that. It turned out to be a really good thing to fight someone with that much experience because he really pushed me and motivated me moving forward.
Soon after that fight, we were going to do a re-match, but instead he decided to go professional and had his next match on Strikeforce. Oh well, in my very next fight with that promotion, I ended up winning the 145-lb belt anyway.
James Ryan: Wow!
Sam Jones: Next, I went down to Miami Beach and won my very first professional fight and won. I controlled him, I dropped him twice, and then this past weekend, I won my second pro fight. In less than two minutes into the first round, I was able to catch my opponent with an uppercut, and that was that.
So much adrenaline and excitement—I love that MMA is so challenging. There’s not very much in this life worth doing, that is easy. I love the challenge. I feed on it.
James Ryan: So let me get this straight…you only had two amateur fights before going pro?
Sam Jones: Correct.
James Ryan: Wow! And I can’t believe that your very first fight was against a guy who was 17-2!
So what’s next?
Sam Jones: Right now, I have a fight lined up with Global Cage Fighting on September 18th in Jacksonville, Florida. I’ll be going up in weight for that one and fighting at 155.
James Ryan: Why the move up?
Sam Jones: You always have to be willing to test yourself—I’m very confident in my abilities and I think that I can win. I’ll be going in there with the mindset to finish this fight, just like I did in my last one.
Anytime I fight in Florida, it’s great! Pretty much all up and down the State, I have friends and fans.
James Ryan: Any interest in fighting for Bellator?
Sam Jones: [Without hesitation] Absolutely! I would be very pleased to fight on Bellator. I think they’re great. I like the tournament format and I would be honoured to fight for them. They have some great fighters.
James Ryan: Why did you make the decision to fight professionally so soon?
Sam Jones: After watching the competitors on television and seeing the level of fitness that they were at, and the quality of strikers and grapplers—I mean these guys are crazy well-rounded—most of the guys that you see around, I really felt like I could...I didn’t feel like I was at that level—I still don’t know if I’m already at that level—it’s hard to really know until you get put in that situation, but I feel like I have the potential to be, and I felt very confident that I was ready.
I wasn’t trying to rush—I just felt like I was ready.
So far, it seems to have been a good decision. I plan on continuing to work hard to prove that I deserve to be on that stage—the bigger the stage, the bigger the cage—the better.
James Ryan: What are your thoughts on the current UFC Lightweight Champion, Frankie Edgar?
Sam Jones: Oh my gosh! I am a ‘huge’ Frankie Edgar fan—HUGE!
I mean—just his pace, his conditioning—when he shoots in for a shot—it took him maybe three re-shoots because he went through three different hip motions and drops before he finally finished the take-down on BJ Penn, but he got him down.
And that’s so impressive to me that he can go from one to the next to the next, shoot, hip in, slide the hips out around, take him in the other direction—I mean, just an amazing, amazing grappler.
And to still be able to strike with one of the best strikers in all of MMA, and be successful, and get the better of that situation—imagine the dedication and training that guy has been through.
I want to be able to push myself that way. I want to be the best.
James Ryan: Who is your next opponent?
Sam Jones: Derek Hare. He’s a lot bigger than me, so I’m expecting three five-minute rounds of intensity. I’m training to go the distance, but if it ends sooner—great. I’m ready to go in there and go wherever the fight goes.
I plan to have more energy, more cardio, and more ability to keep going than anyone else that they can put in the cage with me.
James Ryan: Sounds like a recipe for success. Any sponsors that you would like to mention?
Sam Jones: Definitely. In this last fight, I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by Primal Instinct Wear, they came through with great gear, and they were totally supportive. When they said that they were going to do something—they did it on time. I think they are an excellent, dependable fight wear company. Fighters—if you can get your hands on some Primal Instinct Wear—it’s good stuff. I love their rash guards, I love the warm-ups…the shirts are awesome!
In addition to Primal Instinct Wear, I was also sponsored by PEABY Productions, a local business here in town. I talked to the leading lady for that business and she was nice enough and kind enough to sponsor me. She put her logo right across the butt of my shorts [Laughs] and I think it showed up great. I hope she got some great business out of that.
I really think that it’s something that a lot of companies should take advantage of. it’s not just fight wear companies that can take advantage of this—when crowds see guys go in there fighting with so-and-so’s pool cleaning or whatever, you realize that these companies are supporting something that you love, and when you think about the next time that you may need whatever service it is that these companies provide—the fans are going to remember that.
It’s a very valuable marketing tool, and I wish more companies would go out and sponsor fighters because frankly, this isn’t boxing. MMA doesn’t pay the same way that boxing does. It’s tough—you really have to be on your P’s and Q’s when it comes to sponsors.
Also, WFighter is awesome! They are a website dedicated to women in MMA, but they don’t by far ignore the men. We have more of a relationship than just a sponsor-fighter. I love working with Tami, with WFighter, and with the other writers that work with the site.
Frankly, I think it’s my favourite MMA site around right now. It’s the only one I go to consistently. Anybody who gives a damn what Sam Jones thinks, go check out WFighter.com [Laughs]
James Ryan: [Laughs] Very well said Sam—I hope that a lot potential sponsors out there understand what you have just explained. It’s smart marketing.
Thank you very much for such a great interview, it’s been a real pleasure getting to know you.
Sam Jones: Thank you, James. I am honoured to have been interviewed by you. It’s been a pleasure.
Seeing him up close, you can understand why he'd be terrifying to lock yourself in a cage with. Norman Rockwell would have dug Brock Lesnar's face. It's a face that looks like it wants to order an egg cream. And then smash it over your head. But what makes him a terror in the Octagon—and made him a fearsome heavyweight NCAA wrestling national champion—is not just size but speed and endurance. He once ran a 4.7 forty-yard dash at 290 pounds, and his stamina is extraordinary. "He was ferocious," says Erik Paulson, who coaches him for his UFC fights and saw his potential in WWE. "It was like, 'If that guy could learn how to punch and kick, he's going to tear the heads off people.'"
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